Overview

This section presents a summary of the environmental applications and submissions received and processed by OPRED (BEIS).

The majority of the environmental applications are now received and processed via the UK Oil Portal Environmental Tracking System (PETS), and a summary for each calendar year from 2014 can be accessed for each operation type and, if required, the summary can be downloaded onto a spreadsheet.

Separate lists of the environmental applications and submissions that are not received and processed through PETS, and lists of the pre-2014 applications types that are now received and processed through PETS, are included under the relevant listed regulations.

If you wish to obtain a copy of any of the environmental submissions or applications, please contact the OPRED (BEIS) Environmental Management Team (EMT) via emt@beis.gov.uk, confirming the name of the relevant operator (the applicant), the type of application or submission and the relevant OPRED (BEIS) reference number(s). If you may wish to comment on an application that has still to be determined, you should confirm your intention when you submit your request for a copy of the application to EMT, and should note that the Department endeavours to determine most applications within 28 days of the date of first receipt of the application. Longer timescales apply in the case of submissions such as Environmental Statements and Oil Pollution Emergency Plans, and details of any relevant deadlines will be provided to accompany the requested documents.

PETS Applications

Summary lists of applications received and processed via the UK Oil Portal can be accessed for the various operation types. Using the dropdowns, summary lists can be accessed for each calendar year from 2014 and is available below:

MAT refers to the ‘Master Application Template’, and each MAT contains general information relating to the relevant operation type, including the environmental impact assessment, and can support a number of subsidiary applications for specific approvals under environmental legislation.

MAT Operation Types:

DRA Drilling Operations

PLA Pipeline Operations

WIA Well Intervention Operations

PRA Production Operations

DCA Decommissioning Operations

SA Standalone Application

MAT reference numbers:

These are unique and relate to a specific submission of the relevant operation type. For example, DRA/1 was the first Drilling Operations MAT submitted via PETS.

SAT refers to the Subsidiary Application Template, and each SAT contains information relating to the specific application type.

SAT Application Types:

DR EIA Direction for Drilling Operations

PL EIA Direction for Pipeline Operations

DEP EIA Direction for Deposits

EWT EIA Direction for Extended Well Test

SP EIA Direction for Commencement of Production

IP EIA Direction for Increase in Production

CP Chemical Permit

OLP Oil Discharge Permit (life)

OTP Oil Discharge Permit (term)

CL Consent to Locate

ML Marine Licence

GS Geological Survey

DL European Protected Species Disturbance Licence

SAT reference numbers:

These are also unique and relate to a specific application. For example, CP/29/0 relates to a specific Chemical Permit application, which was the 29th Chemical Permit application submitted via PETS. The /0 suffix confirms that it is the first submission, i.e. it is a new SAT application. It is recognised that, for a variety of reasons, changes to the application may be necessary, either before operations have commenced or during the course of the proposed operations. If an update or a variation is submitted, the suffix would change and the reference number would become CP/29/1.

Exempted Activities

Minor pipeline works that are located entirely within existing safety zones around offshore facilities, and the renewal of a production consent where the renewal relates to the term of the consent and does not increase the consented level of production, are exempted from the provisions of the regulations as it has been determined that neither will have any significant impact on the environment, commercially exploited marine resources, protected habitats or species, or other users of the sea.

From October 2014, OPPC Term Permit Applications and OPPC Life Permit Applications were transferred to the UK Oil Portal, details of these can be found using the ‘Summary lists of applications received and processed’ under the PETS Applications section further up this page.

Produced water discharges containing oil (2006-15)

The following table details instances of oil-contaminated produced water discharges between 2006 and 2015.

Food and Environmental Protection Act 1985 (as amended)

Prior to the introduction of the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009, applications for licences were administered by either Marine Scotland (Scottish waters) or CEFAS (English and Welsh waters) on behalf of OPRED (BEIS). Enquiries relating to applications and licences should be forwarded to:

The Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009

Marine licences are required for a small number of offshore energy activities that are not excluded or exempted from the licensing provisions of the Marine and Coastal Access Act. The licensable activities are principally related to decommissioning operations, including activities such as disturbance of the seabed, the deposit and removal of materials and the use of explosives.

The Offshore Combustion Installations (Pollution Prevention and Control) Regulations 2013 came in to force on 19 May 2013, to transpose the relevant provisions of the Industrial Emissions Directive 2010/75/EU (“the IED”). The regulations replaced The Offshore Combustion Installations (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Regulations 2001 (as amended).

Applications under 2001 and 2013 Regulations

Notices Required under 2013 Regulations

In accordance with the requirements of the Offshore Combustion Installations (Pollution Prevention and Control) Regulations 2013, OPRED (BEIS) hereby gives notice of a new application to operate combustion installations.

The Greenhouse Gas Emissions Trading Scheme Regulations 2012

The Energy Act, Part 4A Consent to Locate

In October 2005, OPRED (BEIS) assumed responsibility for administration of Section 34 of The Coast Protection Act 1949 (CPA) in relation to offshore energy activities on behalf of the Department for Transport. In April 2011, the Consent to Locate provisions of Section 34 were transferred to The Marine and Coastal Access Act (MCAA) and a new Part 4A of the Energy Act 2008 was created to transfer the provisions to offshore energy activities that were excluded or exempted from the licensing provisions of the MCAA.

Oil Pollution Emergency Plan Submissions (OPEP Submissions)

PON 1 Data

A Petroleum Operations Notice No.1 (PON1) is used to report oil and chemical releases from offshore installations and pipelines. Data relating to oil and chemical releases between 2005 and 2012 has been relocated to Environmental alerts and incident reporting